Time-controlled electric heater



t e e h S 8 G h s 2 R E T S U G E L.

(No Model.)

TIME GON'I'ROLLED BLBGTRIG HEATER.

Patented Oct. 8, 895.

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Witnesses (No Model.) f 2 sheets-sheen 2.

L. E. CUSTER. TIME GQNTEOLLEE ELECTRIC EEATEE.

No. 547,714. Patented ont. 8, 1895.

PnTnnVr OFFICE.

LEVITT E. CUSTER, OF DAYTON, OHIO.

TIME-CONTROLLED LECTRIC HEATER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 547,714, dated October8, 1895.

Application filed December 22, 1894;. Serial No. 532,647. (No model.)

T all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, LEVITT E. OUSTER, of

Dayton, in thc county of Montgomery and State of Ohio, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Time s Controlled ElectricalHeaters; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear,and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which formpart of this specification.

This invention is an improvement in timecontrolled electrical heaters ormuffles especially designed for dental purposes, its object being toenable the temperature of the heater to be automatically controlled byclock mechanism, which latter can be so adjusted beforehand that thecurrent can be cut off after a predetermined run, can be graduallyincreased cr diminished at intervals, as is desired in the treatment ofthe matter in the muftle, or kept at uniform strength, as desired.

The invention therefore consists in the novel construction andcombination of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

Referring to the drawings, Figure l is a view of the complete apparatus.Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the muftle on line 2 2, Fig. l.Fig. 3 is a bottom view of the muffie. Fig. 4 is a section on line 4 4,Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the regulator on line 5 5, Fig. 1.Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view of the hand and brush. Fig. 7 is adetail section on line 7 7, Fig. l. Fig. 8 is a detail face view of theregulator.

A designates the. mufde, G a rheostat, and .l a time-regulator andcircuit-breaker, all included in an electrical circuit with a battery Zor with, preferably, an incandescent-light current.

The muflie A consists of two parts a a', hinged together, eachinternally lined with refractory material and having a cavity which whenthe parts are closed forms a heatingchamber. The part a is mounted on aninsulating-base B, of suitable material, on which are two binding-postsb b. A resistance O,

preferably a coil of platinum wire, substantially covers the entiresurface of the cavity in part ct, one end of such wire beingelectrically connected by a wire O to post 5, the other end beingelectrically connected to a spring-contact finger O2. The cavity in parta is similarly provided with a resistance-coil c, the ends of which areconnected to exterior contact-points, one of which contacts with theupper end of finger O2, while the other end contacts with a similarfinger c', attached to the base, and the lower end of linger c isconnected by wire c2 with post b. Thus a current flowing from b to bwill traverse the re sistance in part a, then the resistancein part a',the resistances being in series, and the circuit being broken when themufde is opened or either finger C2 c held out of contact with thecorresponding contact on part a. The coils in parts a a should be madeas close as possible, and preferably are partly exposed, as shown, sothat their heat is directly radiated and convected into the chamber. Theplug a2 (shown in the top of heater) is fully described in my otherapplication, Serial No. 532,646, led December 22, 1894. Post l) isconnected by a Wire D3 to one post g of the rheostat G, which is of anysuitable construction; but its several contact-plates E E are providedwith binding-screws e for attachment of Wires hereinafter described. Theother post F of the resistance-box is c011- nected to the battery orelectrical supply by a Wire D,and it is also electrically connected tothe hand-adjustable contact -piece f as usual; but this latter is cutout of the circuit when the time-regulator is used. This regulator, asshown, consists of an ordinary timepiece having a dial-plate K ofnon-conducting material. On the outer end of the minute-hand shaft L2 isattached a hand L, which should be insulated from the shaft (so that thecurrent may not traverse the clockwork) either in the manner shown orother suitable Way. l

On the outer end of hand L is attached a brush M, which is adapted tosweep over a series of contact-pieces N on the face of the plate as thehand moves around. This brush may be of any suitable construction. Asshown it consists of two light metallic plates fm, m', pivoted side byside, having their lower ends beveled to make good contact with thepieces N, and one slightly longer than the other, so that there will beno breaking of the circuit or sparking When the brush passes from onecontact-piece to the other. Plate m is pressed toward the dial by aspring Z, and plate m by a spring Z. Plate m also has a linger 'm3,which overlies plate m and prevents it rising above plate fm. A bracketO is attached to the edge of the dial-plate K and carries a brush orcontact-finger O', which extends over the hand L and contacts with thehub end thereof. Bracket O is connected by a wire D with post F, and thepieces N are electrically connected, as hereinafter described, to thecontact-pieces of the rheostat. In practice the pieces N are segments ofan annulus Whose diameter is equal to the diameter of the circledescribed by brush M, and the length of the segments is proportional tothe number of minutes the brush M is to contact therewith. lrorfiveminutes contact the segment would be one-twelfth of a circle, and forother lengths of time in proportion. Four segments N are shown securedto the dial-plate, which will, when the plates are traversed by thebrush, close the circuit for about thirty-five minutes. The plates areslightly separated, and are, as shown, successively connected by WiresD2 to the contact-pieces E of the box, so that as the brush traversesthe successive plates the current is directed through successivelygreater or fewer resistance-coils in the rheostat. Thus the segments maybe so connected that the intensity of the current shall be increased bydegrees or diminished by degrees. By connecting the plates in series toeach other or to one contact-piece a uniform current may be maintained.By increasing or lessening the length or number of segments the timeduration Iof current maybe lengthened or shortened. For convenience thebinding-posts n of segments N may be used as the securing device also,as indicated in the drawings, and the dialplate K may have a series ofperforations 7c near its periphery for attachment of the segments. Thus,by having a series of detachable segments of varying sizes, theinstrument can be quickly adjusted for regulating the current as desiredfor any length of time. Vhere only a certain duration and regulation ofcurrent is desired, the segments may be permanently attached to thedial-plate.

I do not confine myself to the precise construction shown, as manychanges would be obvious to a mechanic, the principal feature being anelectrical circuit maker, controller, and breaker controlled by clockmechanism.

In operation the segments are adjusted for a proper duration of currentand connected to the rheostat so as to give the desired strength ofcurrent at the proper times and for desired duration. Then thearticle tobe treated is placed in mufde and the latter closed. Thereupon as soonas the minute-hand brings the brushes in contact with the segments thecircuit is closed and the current from battery flows through wires D D,linger O', hand L, brush M, segments N, Wires D2, the rheostat, and WireD3 to and through the muflie, and thence through Wire D4 to the battery.When the hand 'moves the brushes off the last segment the current isbroken. The dial-plate may be recessed, as at K', so that when the brushpasses off the last segment it Will drop quickly away from it andpossibility of sparking by slow separation be obviated. Obviously whereno variation of current is desired the segments may be in directelectrical connection with the muflle, or the rheostat omitted.

I do notl herein claim the mul'lie or heater per se, reserving it forsubject-matter of another application.

I-Iaving thus described my invention, What I therefore claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent thereon, is-

1. The combination with an electro receptive device or muifiie, arheostat, and mechanism actuated by clock Work for throwing the variousresistances of the rheostat successively into the circuit, substantiallyas and for the purpose specified.

2. The combination of a rheostat having separate resistances, With anelectrical circuit maker, regulator, and breaker, comprising stationarycon tacts respectively electrically connected with separate resistancesof the rheostat, and a movable contact Which is operated by clock-Workand electrically connected in main circuit, substantially as and for thepurpose set forth.

3. The combination with an electro-receptive device, and an electricalsupply in circuit; With a rheostat interposed in the circuit and acircuit-controller for said rheostat actuated by clockwork-substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

et. The combination with an electro-receptive device, an electricalsupply, and a rheoi stat in circuit, with mechanism for shifting thecircuit through the rheostat operated by clock-Work, substantially asand for the purpose described.

5. The combination of an electro-receptive device, a rheostat and anelectrical supply, With mechanism actuated by clock-Work for making andregulating the duration of the current through the electro-receptivedevice and rheostat and for also shifting the current said plates andthe rheostat coils, substantially as described.

7. An electrical circuit maker, regulator, and breaker comprising amovable brush operated by clock-Work, and a series of removable andadjustable segments adapted to be traversed by said brush detachablyattached to the dial plate and insulated both from the dial and eachother, and a stationary arm contacting with said brush, and electricalconnections for completing a circuit through the arm, brush, andsegments, substantially as described.

S. The combination of a clock, a brush moved by one hand thereof, and anelectrical connection between said brush and an electrical supply, witha series of contact plates adapted to be traversed by said brush,independent resistances respectively connected to said contact plates,and an electrical heater or receptive device in circuit with theresistances, substantially as described.

9. The herein described mufie consisting of the two chambered parts a,a', the resistance coils therein, the insulating base, the contactsprings thereon, the binding posts, andthe connections substantially asdescribed whereby the current is caused to traverse the coils in series;in combination with the clockcontrolled rheostat and electrical supply,substantially as described.

l0. The herein described regulator consisting of the insulated dialplate, the segments attached thereto, the stationary arm thereon, therotating arm moved by clock-work and the brushes m, m', controlled bysprings Z, Z', mounted on said arm and adapted to establish electricalconnection between the arm and segments, substantially as described.

11. The herein described regulator consisting of the insulated dialplates, the segments attached thereto, the stationary arm thereon, therotating arm moved by clock-work and adapted to establish electricalconnection between the arm and segments, in combination With a rheostatand electrical connections between said segments and the rheostat coils,substantially as described.

l2. The combination of a clock provided with a face plate having adepression or cavity therein, and the arm L carrying the brushes m, m',with the insulated plates K, the arm O attached thereto contacting armL, and the insulated segments detachably attached to the plate andadapted to be contacted bythe brushes, all substantially as and for thepurpose set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I aflix my signaturein presence of two witnesses.

LEVITT E. CUSTER.

Witnesses:

J os FERNEDING, THoMAs RoisrNsoN.

